This paper reviews the recent research on sluiceboxes, and based on this, presents a unified analysis of their behaviour. The available laboratory data. suggests that substantially lower d(A,50)＇s could be obtained in commercial units. To obtain these low, competitive d d(A,50)＇s, throughput must be reduced, and feed top sizes reduced Given that most placer deposits have only a limited range of gold particle sizes, these conditions are realistically obtainable. A comparison of laboratory and plant data on gold sluiceboxes suggests that to perform successfully, it must achieve four processes: i) deliver gold particles to the plane of the riffles ii) pull gold particles into the riffles iii) hold gold particles in the riffles, in preference to other minerals iv) transport gangue minerals along and off the sluice. Any one of these processes can be performance limiting. Under carefully controlled conditions, d(A,50)＇s of the order of 50 mu m wry be possible -a performance similar to that obtained on a spiral. It is considered desirable that operators make an effort to determine the size distribution of the gold in their operations, and a method for determining this is proposed.